Thursday, October 15, 2009

Getting Stuffed

A few weeks ago I quizzed Ms Ric-Rac about getting stuffed.
For the life of me I just couldn't work out how on earth her toys felt so firm yet squishy whilst mine often felt as lumpy and bumpy as a lumpy, bumpy thing!
It turns out the secret is not so secret after all, it's all in the quality of your poly fill. After doing an on-site touch test I was amazed to discover that even certain high-street own brands of poly fill feel different, one is softer and fluffier whilst the one coming form a place beginning with 'Spot' and ending with 'Light' is distinctly coarser.

Well now I have soft and squishy toys not lumpy bumpy ones. But after a follow-up conversation at ye-olde craft night I'm just not diggin' synthetic. I am under no illusions that I am a wholesome earth mother type o gal... I couldn't be if I tried. Besides (shock horror confession alert!) I think big macs are delish, I drive a car and don't print on both sides of the paper. (Oh the shame!!!)
But really, if it were by any means affordable I would love to stuff my pure wool, up-cycled soft toys with pure wool.

I'm a s**t shearer but my ex-certain-someone rocks at it (shame he is beardless) and he is off to see the wizard this weekend to get covering in lanolin and come home with 6 bales of fleece and I am pilfering one to do some experimenting with.

I have prepared my own fleeces before while I lived and worked as an instructor here, but it's been a while. If all goes to plan I should be rolling in fluffy clouds of 'de-lanolined' and freshly 'teased' wool rovings. Yummo.
Do you think this justifies getting my own baa-lamb now?

6 comments:

Marking Art said...

yes you definitley need your own sheep :)

Umatji said...

is there any thing you don't do or haven'y done?! and I'm with ypou on the stuffin' we use alpaca ( nprobably shameful but they are walking saround ou the back!)

Beck said...

I just love the title of this post. Yes, get a sheep! xo

tea with lucy said...

Great idea. I too have that lumpy bumpy problem with my fill.

Wool is such an obvious choice, and I just so happen to have access to plenty of sheep!

(my word veri was "heryeep" - sounds like hairy sheep!(

Chook said...

For generations my family has been making sheepskin bears stuffed with wool, we tried the polyfil etc, but the soft firm feel of wool always won hands down. Even after cleaning the bears, the stuffing never went lumpy.
:)

teddybearswednesday said...

I know what you mean about being natural. I personally have a bit of an issue with polyfil, and I never use it.
I really like using ginned cotton, or cotton stuffing which isn't as expensive as wool and can stuff soft but also really pack down and be firm. I think it gives a nice weight.
I get it from a bear supply place in Brisbane and it costs less than most polyfil
here's the link
http://gerrys.com.au/home.php?cat=261